Oldest Wild Horse Island gelding dies

WILD HORSE ISLAND — The oldest gelding on Wild Horse Island State Park has perished.

The iconic black, wild mustang came to the island in 1992 as part of the Bureau of Land Management’s horse adoption program, said Jerry Sawyer, who manages the park for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The horse’s age then was estimated at at least 10, Sawyer said.

Each recent spring, the gelding looked more and more run down, with a shaggy coat that ceased to shed and gaunt sides.

“We’ve been expecting [him] to die for the past four or five years,” Sawyer said. “We’ve been really surprised that he kept going.”

Plentiful forage and mild winters most likely contributed to the horse’s longevity, he added.

A few weeks ago, though, the park warden found the bones, and estimated the horse, also known as “Blackie,” had died at least a month previously, Sawyer said.

Vistiors will still be able to see the other six horses who call the island home.

They’ll be able to see the old gelding, too, on the front of a new brochure for park, set to be released this tourist season, Sawyer said.

He added the park’s management plans for five wild horses on the island, and Blackie will not be replaced.